Genesis 33:20 Meaning: Why Jacob Names the Altar 'El Elohe Israel'
He erected an altar there, and called it El Elohe Israel.
And he erected there an altar, and called it El–elohe–Israel.
And he erected there an altar, and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
and he setteth up there an altar, and proclaimeth at it God--the God of Israel.
And there he set up an altar, and called it El-Elohe-Israel.
Meaning in one sentence
What does Genesis 33:20 mean? When Jacob names the altar, he acknowledges God's power and his own transformed identity as Israel.
Context
Jacob had just come through the hardest twenty years of his life. He fled his brother's anger, worked fourteen years for a wife, and wrestled with God Himself. Now, returning to the land of Canaan, he makes peace with Esau and arrives at Shechem. He buys a piece of land, the first permanent ground his family has ever owned in the promised country. And there, as his grandfather Abraham once did, he builds an altar. This is the first thing he does after settling. The altar marks the spot as holy ground and tells everyone who sees it that Jacob belongs to the God who brought him home.
Key Words
The Hebrew name Jacob gave the altar packs three words into one confession. El means the mighty and powerful God, the strength that follows through on promises. Elohe adds the particular: “the God of.” And Israel is Jacob’s new name, the one he received at the river when he would not let go of God until he was blessed. Together they say: “The Mighty God is the God of Israel.” Jacob is not naming a new deity. He is declaring that the same God who overpowered him at Peniel has been with him every step. The altar itself (mizbeach) was a place for sacrifice and worship, a visible claim that God deserved thanks, not just a private thought. By calling the altar by this name, Jacob turned a pile of stones into a permanent reminder that his life now belonged to a God who is both mighty and personal.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians have long seen this verse as a witness to Jacob’s gratitude and commitment. Matthew Henry (Presbyterian) notes that Jacob called God “the God of Israel” because God had recently given him that name. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) suggests the altar might originally have been a standing stone, and that the name was a public confession that “Israel’s God is El.” Calvin (Reformed) emphasizes that the altar was an external sign of worship, not just a private feeling. Gill (Baptist) highlights that Jacob offered thanksgiving for deliverance from Laban and Esau. Adam Clarke (Methodist) connects the name to the change from Jacob to Israel, seeing it as a celebration of God’s grace. All agree: the altar was built in response to mercy received, and the name makes the God of the covenant visible in a land full of other gods.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
You may not build a stone altar this week. But you can name a moment. Think of a time God brought you through a struggle, a hard conversation, a season of waiting, a broken relationship. What could you say to mark that grace? Jacob bought land and built a visible sign. You might write a note, tell a friend, or simply pause to say aloud: “El Elohe Israel, the mighty God is my God.” That act of naming keeps the mercy real and sets you up to worship, not just remember.
Main takeaway: When we return from our hardest journeys, we mark the place with worship, calling God the mighty One who keeps His promises to us.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Jacob had a long, hard trip. When he finally got home safely, he built a special pile of stones to say thank you to God. He called it “God, the God of Israel.” You can say thank you to God too, maybe with a drawing or by telling someone what He did.
For ages 9, 12
After Jacob made peace with his brother and came back to the land God promised, he bought a piece of ground and built an altar. He gave it a name that meant “The Mighty God is the God of Israel.” That was his way of saying, “God kept His word, and I belong to Him.” Think about a hard thing you got through this year. How could you mark that God was with you? It doesn’t have to be a stone altar, it could be a prayer or a journal entry that reminds you of His help.
Questions People Ask
Why did Jacob name the altar El Elohe Israel?
Jacob built the altar to thank God for protecting him and bringing him safely back to Canaan. The name means 'God, the God of Israel.' It declares that the mighty God is now the personal God of Jacob, who had been renamed Israel after wrestling with God at Peniel.
What does El Elohe Israel mean?
El means 'mighty God' or 'strong one.' Elohe means 'God of.' Israel is Jacob's new name, meaning 'he who strives with God.' Together the phrase confesses: 'The mighty God is the God of Israel.' It ties God’s power to a personal relationship with Jacob and his descendants.
Why did Jacob build an altar here and not earlier in his journey?
This was the first land Jacob owned in Canaan. He bought the plot from the sons of Hamor. Building an altar on it was a way of claiming the land for God, following the example of Abraham and Isaac. It was also a response to his safe return after twenty years away.
Is there a difference between an altar and a pillar in Genesis?
Yes, though the Hebrew word for 'altar' (mizbeach) usually refers to a structure for sacrifices, while a pillar (matstsebah) was a standing stone often set up as a memorial. Some scholars note that the verb 'erected' (natsav) is more commonly used for pillars, so they wonder if this was a stone rather than an altar. But most translations and the context of worship suggest it was an altar for offering sacrifices to God.
What does this verse teach about worship?
It shows that worship is both personal and public. Jacob named the altar as a testimony to his own experience with God, but he set it up in a place where others would see it. Worship should respond to what God has done, involve a tangible act (like building or naming), and point to God's character, His strength and His covenant faithfulness.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study